The Schizophrenia Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital offers a comprehensive approach to weight reduction and healthy lifestyle behaviors. High rates of serious medical conditions and a shortened life expectancy have long been associated with chronic mental illness, particularly schizophrenia. The good news is that recent advances have been associated with better clinical outcomes and a dramatic decline in medication-induced side effects (such as tardive dyskinesia, a movement disorder). The bad news, however, is that because of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, medication side effects, and poor access to medical care, approximately half of individuals diagnosed with a severe mental illness develop a serious medical condition.

The Healthy Lifestyles Program Program has been designed specifically for individuals with a serious mental illness, like schizophrenia. Weight gain is a common side effect of psychiatric medications. As a result, patients are more vulnerable to type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart disease and other obesity-related conditions. High rates of serious medical conditions and a shortened life expectancy have long been associated with chronic mental illness, particularly schizophrenia. Weight gain is a frequent side effect of psychiatric medications, so individuals who take these medications are particularly vulnerable to obesity and associated illnesses including type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary heart disease.

At the Healthy Lifestyles Program Program, people with schizophrenia receive state-of-the-art intervention for weight loss, diabetes prevention, cardiovascular fitness and improved overall health, which includes:

A comprehensive wellness consultation that includes a thorough psychiatric and physical exam and medical history assessment

A Cross-sectional study to compare glucose and lipid metabolism in schizophrenia subjects treated with either Fanapt (iloperidone), Zyprexa (olanzapine), or Risperdal (risperidone)This is a cross-sectional study of non-obese, BMI-matched subjects treated with iloperidone-, risperidone- or olanzapine-for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Iloperidone has metabolic side effects in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffetive disorder, and if so, how they compare to the metabolic side effects of other common antipsychotics, primarily Risperidone and Olanzpine.